[JoeKH]

Hello all,

I purchased a high mileage 2006 Elise last month. It has >80k miles and was the daily driver for the first owner and the previous owner. A car I've coveted but really never thought I would get one.

Today was my first day in getting started on projects. It has sat in my garage for 4 weeks while I was traveling - mostly overseas. So, first project today was to replace the wet battery with an Optima Red Top. Thanks to the forum for the thread on replacement batteries!

Today was my first day with a fun drive. I planned on 15 mins and it turned into an hour! Great fun! Needs some TLC! Joined the Lotus Club and this forum.

I know that I will be using this forum quite frequently!

Thanks,
JoeKH

 

[R4Racin]

Congratulations! The Car looks great. Nice to see someone that plans to improve the car end up with it. Where are you located?

 

[JoeKH]

DC area

 

[sturgeongeneral]

Welcome and congratulations!

 

[glb]

I have some basic recommendations that may help you.

First, check Uberpost.

Do not drive with stock horn. Inverse relationship: smaller the car, the louder the horn needs to be.

Stock horn: eexcuseme....eexcuseme.

If you drive at night and headlights are stock, they are IMO unsafe. Most here went with HID conversions.

Car w/stock mirrors = enormous blind spots. RLS has the right mirrors.

Best of luck.

 

[komiko]

Osram Nightbreaker plus are direct replacements for the standard headlight bulbs and really light up the road well.

 

[JoeKH]

Issues - Project list - Blind spots and headlamps are 1&2

THanks, for the replies........

AutoX was being held and hoped to get in today - but no luck.

Issue #1 already mentioned. Blind spots. Can't they be adjusted? Anyway, I noticed that the side mirror on the driver side is almost useless for me. I can't really seem to adjust it... so, that is Number 1 to search on the forum.

Issue #2: One headlamp cover was replaced by previous owner so one is clear and the other clouded. Need to get a new one or refinish the clouded one. Because they aren't sealed - clouding could happen inside as well as outside.

Headlamps - thanks for the advise. I'll definitely look into it.

Body - I have some surface damage on nose, passenger door, and bottom of front clamshell.

Engine Cover - one of the spacers absorber is missing. Think it when away when I washed it. So, need to find a replacement for that and a few spares to hang around.

Tar spots - Thoroughly washed the car today and there is a lot of tar on the paint. Afraid to go after them with standard tar remover. Need to learn about the paint used on these panels. If standard clearcoat, then not an issue. If something unusual for the composite panels, then possible issue.

Interior - need to get new floormats. These are in bad shape.

Interior - driver seat - need a replacement or repair of the bolster on the left side. I'll post picture.

Air conditioning - either the charge is gone or this is the worst air conditioner on the planet. I'd just as soon remove to save weight, but likely to decrease value.

 

[craigyirush]

Did you check out the condition of the engine - cams, compression, leak down - before purchase.

Just curious as I am looking at an Elise with similar mileage.

 

[glb]

THanks, for the replies........

AutoX was being held and hoped to get in today - but no luck.

Issue #1 already mentioned. Blind spots. Can't they be adjusted? Anyway, I noticed that the side mirror on the driver side is almost useless for me. I can't really seem to adjust it... so, that is Number 1 to search on the forum.

Issue #2: One headlamp cover was replaced by previous owner so one is clear and the other clouded. Need to get a new one or refinish the clouded one. Because they aren't sealed - clouding could happen inside as well as outside.

Headlamps - thanks for the advise. I'll definitely look into it.

Body - I have some surface damage on nose, passenger door, and bottom of front clamshell.

Engine Cover - one of the spacers absorber is missing. Think it when away when I washed it. So, need to find a replacement for that and a few spares to hang around.

Tar spots - Thoroughly washed the car today and there is a lot of tar on the paint. Afraid to go after them with standard tar remover. Need to learn about the paint used on these panels. If standard clearcoat, then not an issue. If something unusual for the composite panels, then possible issue.

Interior - need to get new floormats. These are in bad shape.

Interior - driver seat - need a replacement or repair of the bolster on the left side. I'll post picture.

Air conditioning - either the charge is gone or this is the worst air conditioner on the planet. I'd just as soon remove to save weight, but likely to decrease value.

Mirrors: No, adjustment still leaves large blind spot on rh side. Get the new mirrors.

Tar remover is fine, so is kerosene. But areas must then be waxed.

See threads here about buffing h/l covers. CR tested a few products a couple yrs ago.

Did you check out the condition of the engine - cams, compression, leak down - before purchase.

Just curious as I am looking at an Elise with similar mileage.

Craig, what he did really hasn't a bearing on what you should do. The 3 things you mention are not expensive. Think of these as forms of insurance.
OK?

 

[craigyirush]

Mirrors: No, adjustment still leaves large blind spot on rh side. Get the new mirrors.

Tar remover is fine, so is kerosene. But areas must then be waxed.

See threads here about buffing h/l covers. CR tested a few products a couple yrs ago.





Craig, what he did really hasn't a bearing on what you should do. The 3 things you mention are not expensive. Think of these as forms of insurance.
OK?

I'm not asking him what I should do. I'm asking him if he knows what condition his engine is in as I'm trying to ascertain the risks of buying a high mileage Elise.

 

[Aedo]

I'm not asking him what I should do. I'm asking him if he knows what condition his engine is in as I'm trying to ascertain the risks of buying a high mileage Elise.

High mileage on the engine appears to indicate that there is no cam problem (as with it they don't get to high mileage) - so you can eliminate that one

And in all truth 80k miles is not high mileage for a toyota engine... the other bits of the car suffer more. Suspension bushes and dampers under the car... interior components (seats aren't bullet proof - I have alcantara ones and they need retrimming after a decade of wear)... etc but nothing major!

 

[glb]

Yep. I have 72k and all is fine. We have members with much higher mileage.

But, I think that if I didn't know how the used car was driven & maintained, I'd go for the leak down test.

E.g.: What oil was used? Changed how often?

Did owner wait the proscribed 10+ minutes after coolant operating temperature before getting to cam switchover?

etc.

 

[herecomesboost]

Welcome!

 

[doug_porsche]

The great news on a car with 80K miles on it is.....

Now you have NO excuse for not driving it.

I have looked at my car; and I have driven my car. I recommend driving them. Way more fun. (Although Franny detailed my car last weekend and dang, sort of fun to look at now also! Thanks Franny!).


Enjoy the ride!

 

[lighterthanair]

Great to have you aboard! And congratulations on your acquisition.

Stephen.

 

[MidLifeCrisisID]

Beautiful! White was another color I was strongly considering. Congrats!

 

[Nessal]

I would rethink the optima. I heard many bad things about them.

 

[Gunpilot]

Great color and welcome to LT, worst battery in the world you could have bought!

 

[Doge]

Issue #2: One headlamp cover was replaced by previous owner so one is clear and the other clouded. Need to get a new one or refinish the clouded one. Because they aren't sealed - clouding could happen inside as well as outside.


Air conditioning - either the charge is gone or this is the worst air conditioner on the planet. I'd just as soon remove to save weight, but likely to decrease value.

The headlights are known to cloud on the outside. The need to be sanded and refinished. New ones are quite expensive. Here you go:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f92/diy-elise-exige-headlight-restoration-seal-delete-115010/

I would rethink the optima. I heard many bad things about them.

Agreed.